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June 2, 2008

G60: Orioles 6, Red Sox 3

Boston rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the eighth, but they blew a chance to add to that slim advantage when Alex Cora grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Hideki Okajima relieved Wakefield (7-5-2-4-3, 109) in the bottom of the inning. He struggled from his first pitch, allowing three straight singles. He got two outs on a sac fly (which tied the game 3-3) and a force play. But he walked Ramon Hernandez to reload the bases. Jeemer then fell behind Adam Jones 3-1 and came in with a fat fastball -- that Jones drilled to deep left for a three-run double.

Down to their last out in the ninth against George Sherrill, Julio Lugo and Kevin Youkilis both walked to bring up Manny as the potential tying run. Ramirez had hit home run #502 in the sixth, but this time, he lifted a routine fly to Nick Markakis in right-center.

Why does Tito so often use Wakefield's starts to give key players a rest? The line-up is already weaker with the Cash-for-Tek switch, and now Ortiz is replaced by Crisp. So you pick tonght to put Cora's limp bat in for Pedroia? Christ, the guy just lost a 1-0 complete game...give him a chance!

Awesome. I've always been fascinated with parliamentary systems and think that on the whole they have a lot of advantages. Not that I want to get into a long discussion of governmental theory, but yeah.. good stuff.

Darn, I thought Lowell had a chance to rip that one to the wall off the bat...

It's all I can think about right now, so I'm glad to have baseball to take my mind off it!

We had a huge strategy meeting yesterday. After the vote, we will have to get the Government to implement it. It's a non-binding resolution... but they're a minority Govt. They're supposed to do what Parliament (i.e. the people) want.

it's okay, it's a good thing to be excited about... but yes, let's enjoy the game.

on a side note, my dad bought a Bose radio with his tax rebate check (thanks Mr. President for this useful addition to our lives) and we hooked it up to the TV yesterday... it sounds so sick. It's like having surround sound.

oh, don. i thought DO was ortiz and was thinking 'wait, we can't play that tonight.' too bad i'm stuck with masn on mlb.tv. (actually, of all the away feeds, i think masn is one of the least annoying.)

That only works if you only look at developed countries. For the rest of the world, progress has not been so clear. It's start and stop, hit and miss.

I agree, but you have to start somewhere. Look at the status of women and African-Americans even as recently as 50 years ago (let alone 150-200 years ago) in the US, supposedly the epitome of the industrialized, developed world.

Things have changed for the better. Not everywhere, but at least in some places. It's a start.

Joe, there's been huge, enormous progress. I will never say otherwise.

My point, tho, is that progress is not inevitable or a constant or even something we can count on seeing more of in our lifetimes. It is the result of people's movements and a lot of luck. Both can be crushed and are crushed on a regular basis.

Even the dumbest, most inbred hick knows a lot more about scientific truths than, for instance, the 14th century Catholic Church.

Several people who read my blog very actively follow the anti-science people - anti-evolution, anti-sex-education, etc. They make a very good case for their ascendancy. They've taken over whole school boards, as I'm sure you know.

Several people who read my blog very actively follow the anti-science people - anti-evolution, anti-sex-education, etc. They make a very good case for their ascendancy. They've taken over whole school boards, as I'm sure you know.

But even those people aren't as bad as the conservatives of the 14th or 15th centuries. I don't think most of them think the sun revolves around the earth, for instance.

And while the antiscience people certainly get attention by shouting the loudest, they've only taken over a few school boards. Granted, that's a few too many - but most Americans are very moderate about their sense of morality and religious practice, and the views of the religious right - no matter how disturbing - are not representative of everyone.

The religious right movement is already slowing down in America. Humorously enough, having theocrats in office has helped kill religion in the US, which is exactly why many of the more religious foudners wanted to keep church and state separate.

But their church doesn't tell them to think that. That's the point. It's not perfect, but it's bettah.

It's different. They tell them different things. The earth and sun are not issues. But two men or two women loving each other is. How to prevent the spread of AIDS is. How to stop women from forced pregnancies is.

A significant percentage of Americans tell pollsters they believe the earth revolves around the sun. (More than 15%.)

I've said that myself by accident. I'd attribute 5% of that to slips of the tongue/failure to think things out. Then I'd attribute another 6-7% to people who are just so very ignorant that they really have no idea what the question is about.

Re US media, I actually don't see any, ever. I read the NY Times Book Review, a few random columnists, and that's about it. I can't imagine it's changed very much since I left, but I really don't pay attention to it, so I'll defer to you on that for sure.

exactly. most people aren't all that bothered over these issues. most americans are far futher to the right than I am, but they aren't highly intolerant right wing nutters who want to bomb abortion clinics and think hurricanes hit to punish cities for holding gay parades.

It doesn't matter what the govt calls them in private, if they enact the laws they want. People used to say GHWB was "personally pro choice". But it doesn't matter what he personally felt if he played to that crowd.

I don't think Buscho gives a shit about religion. You know their only religion is profit.

most americans are far futher to the right than I am, but they aren't highly intolerant right wing nutters who want to bomb abortion clinics and think hurricanes hit to punish cities for holding gay parades.

I am not religious personally but I am not anti-religious either (as many here seem to be). Being anti-religious can be just as hateful and destructive as the things you blame religion for. Religion is a huge part of many people's lives and brings them meaning, joy, and peace. Also religion has been one of the major forces in bringing humans from just another nomadic mammal to the society you see today. It is disingenuous to simply ignore or dismiss the positive force that religion has had in this world. Search yourselves and ask, am I showing tolerance, prizing diversity, and honoring people's choices in spirituality -- or am I judging others by my own beliefs and dismissing people just because they believe differently?

Haha--yeah, since it was tix to that one game I had for six months, hundreds of miles away, it sure was luck. It was great standing for Manny on every at bat, and then the whole place going nuts when he hit it, and then him coming right out to us in left field and saluting since the inning ended right after he hit it.